For now the Giulio’s tour in Tuscany and more exactly in Siena country ends here.

In this area you should absolutely visit two medieval towns: Monteriggioni and Volpaia, having their roots in the Middle Ages.

A short history:

Monteriggioni
Built for defensive purposes by Siena between 1214 and 1219 to protect the valleys of the Elsa and of the Staggia against Florence.
Notwithstanding several battles and sieges the walled village withstood until 1554 when it was easily conquered by Florence in a treacherous way and Cosimo I Medici imposed his rule over Monteriggioni and its territory.
This event is considered the milestone marking the end of the age of the city states in Italy.
After many changeovers, it became a possession of the Griccioli family which still holds important properties in the castle and in the surrounding lands.
In the last years the Council of Europe included Monteriggioni into the route of the Via Francigena and the village became part of the Cultural Routes.

Borgo Volpaia
It was built around 10th century in an easily defensible place on the watershed of two tributaries of the river Pesa, a very important position because it was at the boundary line between the Siena and Florence.
Due to this position it many times suffered the aftermaths of the endless war between the two rival cities.
It is a wine growing territory where the Chianti Classico is produced.
Over its hills the wines (as the Chianti and the other wines of the Castello di Volpaia) are produced in a well preserved environment, which still shows its medieval and quattrocento features, protected by the landscape protection of the Soprintendenza ai Monumenti.

For more info:
wikipedia: Monteriggioni
wikipedia: Volpaia

and we remind of our friend Giulio:
bagno_vignoni
san_galgano

Thank to our friend Giulio for the beautiful photographs